The Master of Arts program in Art History and Curatorial Studies is intended for persons wishing to pursue a doctoral program and/or a professional career in art history or curatorial studies. Those interested in pursuing museum professions at the Masters Degree level of training are also encouraged to apply.
The program was established with the primary intent of preparing students for further graduate study in art history and/or a professional career in curation, conservation, art librarianship, gallery work, or other art-related careers.
Admission
Admission to the program is obtained through the University’s Office of Graduate Studies and the Department of Visual Arts. Applications for admission to the program are done online and are available for download and submission through the BYU Office of Graduate Studiesweb site.
Specific program statistics, deadlines and information for this degree can be found here.
Application Process
Applicants must meet the following conditions and submit the following materials to the Office of Graduate Studies in order to be considered for admission:
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree in Art History or related field with a minimum of 18 semester hours in art history. In exceptional cases, this expectation may be waived on condition that the student either demonstrates proficiency or makes up the deficiencies during a probationary period.
- Achievement of a 3.5 GPA during the last two years of undergraduate course work
- Submission of all admission materials by February 1
- Completed application forms:
- Two official transcripts for all college work
- Three letters of recommendation
- Graduate Record Exam scores
- $50 Non-refundable application fee
Department Requirements
In addition to these materials to be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies, or online, the following should be sent to Heather Belnap Jensen, the Art History and Curatorial Studies Graduate Coordinator, Department of Visual Arts, Brigham Young University, E-509 HFAC, Provo, Utah 84602-6414:
- Two written papers (from any humanities-related field) that exhibit mature research, critical thinking skills, and sound writing skills.
- A personal letter that introduces the applicant to the faculty, and which may include information regarding the student’s experience with the arts, expectations from the program, academic and professional goals, financial needs, and anything else the student may feel important. This letter should be addressed to the Art History and Curatorial Studies Graduate Coordinator.
Each application will be reviewed by members of the Art History and Curatorial Studies graduate faculty. Applicants will be notified by mail of the faculty decision one month after the deadline.
More information about graduate programs of study, degree requirements and course descriptions are available in the Graduate Catalogue.